You just spent half a day interviewing for a great job.
You knew all the right answers, and asked great questions. Odds are you?re one of the top contenders for the job.
Want to know an easy way to make yourself look even better??Send the interviewer a personalized thank you note.
It?s no secret, but it makes you look great because nobody else bothers to do it.
Email or Hand-Written Thank You Note?
There?s nothing quite so effective as sending a hand-written thank you note after an interview.
If you have the time, that?s a better way to go.?But sometimes the hiring process moves fast. Sometimes your handwriting sucks. And sometimes you learn that the hiring manager prefers email because it?s easier for her to read on the go.
If that?s the case, you can still look good by sending an email thank you note after the interview.?The most important thing is to send something after an interview.
An email thank you note may not be as powerful as something hand-written, but it?s way better than sending nothing at all.
When to Send the Thank You Note
Always send a thank you note as soon as possible after the interview is over.
Some people like to wait a day to not seem too eager. This is misguided because eagerness isn?t a bad thing. It shows you?re interested, and want to keep the interview process moving forward. Why would the hiring manager waste time on you if she doesn?t think you?re interested in the job?
Send a thank you note to every interviewer. Even if you decide not to take the job at that company. It?s just the professional/polite thing to do. Plus you never know when a different job will open up at the same company, and you want to leave a positive impression.
Get the Interviewer?s Email Address
Obvious fact: You can?t send an email thank you note if you don?t know the interviewer?s email address.
There?s a lot of ways you can get this information. Sometimes it will be easy. You?ll receive contact information before the interview, or interviewer will give you her business card during the interview.
Sometimes you?ll have to do a little work. An easy, but sometimes scary way is to just ask at the end of the interviewer.
?It?s been great talking to you John. I?d like to send you a thank you note for taking the time to meet with me. Can I get your email address please??
Don?t be afraid to ask. It shows that you understand what you?re supposed to do after the interview, and aren?t afraid to get it done. Telling them you?ll send a thank you note is also a great opportunity to show that you follow through with your promises.
You did bring a paper and pen to the interview to write this down, didn?t you?
If you?re reading this after the interview and kicking yourself, don?t worry. Try asking the recruiter, or the admin who set up the interviews. Be sure to thank them for their help when you ask, and they?ll usually be happy to help out.
How to Say ?Thank You?
Keep it short, and personalized. You don?t need to write something overly clever, or funny. Your objective is to sincerely thank the interviewer, and remind them why you?re a good fit for the role.
- Paragraph 1 (1-2 sentences): Thank them for their time
- Paragraph 2 (2-4 sentences): Mention something you remember from the interview, and remind them why you?re a great fit for the role.
- Paragraph 3 (1 sentence): Thank them again
Here?s an interview thank you note template you can use:
Hi John,
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me yesterday. I enjoyed learning about Acme Corp?s push into the new private space exploration field.
With my ten years? experience in Aerospace Engineering and project management, I?d be able to hit the ground running in the Lead Engineer role.
Thanks again for your time.
Regards,
Bob
In Summary: Interview Thank You Notes
- Yes, you need to send a thank you note after every job interview (even if you decide not to take the job)
- Hand-written notes are the best, but sending an email is acceptable, and still better than most candidates.
- There?s a few ways to get the interviewer?s email address. When in doubt, just ask them.
- Keep the actual thank you note simple, sincere, and on message.
Practice makes perfect. Start sending thank you notes after your next interview and this will be second nature in no time.
Keep your notes short and sweet, and you?ll demonstrate courtesy and professionalism. No one has ever been denied a job for those attributes.
